US Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin takes questions throughout a press convention on the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on February 1, 2024.
Andrew Caballero-reynolds | Afp | Getty Photos
Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin was taken again to the hospital on Sunday afternoon for signs associated to a potential bladder subject, the Pentagon introduced.
Austin is battling prostate most cancers and has been recovering from surgical procedure over the previous few months.
He’s at the moment retaining all obligations of his put up, the Pentagon mentioned. On his strategy to Walter Reed Nationwide Navy Medical Middle, Austin introduced alongside all “unclassified and classified communication systems necessary to perform his duties,” in keeping with Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
Deputy Protection Secretary Kathleen Hicks is on standby to imagine any of Austin’s capabilities, ought to that grow to be vital.
The Pentagon made clear that the White Home and Congress have been notified of the Sunday hospitalization, avoiding a repeat of a December incident when Austin and his employees failed to tell prime authorities officers that Austin was within the intensive care unit for problems associated to his most cancers surgical procedure.
In January, Austin got here below fireplace after the Pentagon waited days to tell the White Home and the general public that he was within the ICU for unknown causes on the time. Medical doctors at Walter Reed later disclosed the prostate most cancers prognosis and launched particulars of his hospital visits.
Nonetheless, a number of lawmakers known as on Austin to resign for the dearth of transparency, although the White Home rebuked these calls for and doubled down on its help for the Protection Secretary as he battles most cancers.
Austin’s re-hospitalization on Sunday comes simply over per week after he publicly apologized for hiding that earlier hospital go to and pledged to be extra clear.
“We did not handle this right. And I did not handle this right. I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis. I should have also told my team and the American public, and I take full responsibility,” Austin mentioned at a Pentagon briefing.